The government of Qatar announced restrictions on entering the country which will go into effect on November 1st, 2022. The restrictions will apply to all international travelers, regardless of whether or not they are from a country that currently enjoys visa-free travel to the Middle Eastern state.

According to the Qatari Ministry of the Interior, entry for all travelers arriving by land, sea, or air will be limited to Hayya Card holders, as part of the country’s preparation for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup runs from November 20, 2022, through December 18, 2022.

The Hayya Card serves both as a pre-screened travel entry document, and as an entry pass to attend World Cup matches. The Hayya Card itself is an electronic document paired with an app, so users must have a smartphone to use it. Card holders will additionally need to purchase World Cup tickets separately to visit the matches.

Even if your plans do not include attending a World Cup match, all visitors to Qatar are required to have a Hayya Card to enter the country from November 1, 2022 to January 23, 2023.

Qatar has removed most of its COVID-19 restrictions, retaining pre-travel testing requirements only for the seven countries on Qatar’s “red list” of COVID countries. Residents and citizens of both the European Union and countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council are not required to register their COVID vaccination status online before traveling to Qatar, but they should be prepared to show they have been vaccinated using other apps.